Tag Archives: Christopher Nolan

Solid Steel Logistics

Despite the tragic shooting that happened in a movie theater in Aurora Colorado, The Dark Knight Rises has become the biggest box office 2d film of all time, beating out its predecessor The Dark KnightChristopher Nolan’s swan song to the batman franchise was quite the conclusion, but what lies in the future for Warner Bros./DC.  Well I suppose rebooting America’s favorite superhero of all time will have to be ample recompense:

Let’s all hope that Zack Snyder doesn’t do to Superman whatever the hell it is he did to Watchmen and Sucker Punch.  It does look like the franchise is in good hands however as Christopher Nolan is producing the film and let’s be honest, that guy knows whatsup.  The film seems to be peppered with the darker and more grounded tone that Nolan used to reinvigorate the Batman Franchise.  With Nolan’s powerhouse trilogy concluding (somewhat), DC/Warner Bros. will be looking to further establish solid superheroes in the DC universe in order to continue competing with Marvel/Disney in Hollywood.

Who is the Man Of Steel?

Superman is a hero that reflects the potential in all of us for greatness; a beacon of light in times that are grim and a glimmer of hope for the hopeless. He’s an archetype for us to project upon; whether you consider him a messiah or just a Big Blue Boyscout, Superman’s impact on the genre and pop culture is undeniable.”  Let’s take a look.

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Dilpomat’s Affliction

WOWWWWW.  Do i want to see The Dark Knight Rises.  Like seriously.  FFS.  As the summer of the movie nerd approaches its mid-life crisis Christopher Nolan will be ramping up his viral marketing campaign.  And he certainly has as evidenced by this content right here.  The true question on everyone’s mind however is:  Can Tom Hardy’s Bane even get close to stacking up with Heath Ledger’s epic and dark portrayal of Gotham’s Clown Prince of CrimeThe God’s alone know my dear friends, but the film should be decent either way as: Anne Hathaway will be portraying villain/heroine/femme fatal Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman, while Marion Catillard is playing Liam Neeson’s daughter a.k.a villain/Batman love interest Miranda Tate or a potential Talia al Ghul.  And the young and talented Joseph Gordon Levitt will play a young Dark Knight replacement John Blake a.k.a a possible Robin.  What epic tactician’s cataclysm has Jonathan Nolan and his brother been able to concoct?  We will soon find out as The Dark Knight Rises can be seen in IMAX and 3d in less than a month on July 20th

Breaking news (via viral marketing) tells us that Gotham City is currently experiencing a slew of cat-related burglaries:

“All the victims were wealthy folks, who lost jewelry, family heirlooms and other precious valuables. The suspect is said to be dressed all in black, and is capable of a quick getaway.  Some of the victims were at a Wayne Enterprises event when their homes were burglarized.  The Observer adds that Deputy Police Commissioner Peter Foley (played by Matthew Modine) is heading up a task force composed of the GCPD’s brightest young recruits to catch the thief.”

WHO is Gotham’s Female Robin Hood?  A femme-fatal who refuses to kill, drowned in dichotomies and characterized by her allegiance ambiguity?  Let’s take a look.

Quote1.pngIdealist self-esteem is greatest when they see themselves or are seen by others as empathetic in bonding with people in their circle.  Idealist’s feel a kind of natural sympathy for man-kind, but they base their self-esteem on the empathy they feel with those people closest to them.  To the NFs, even introverted NFs, life is nothing without sensitive personal ties, without shared experiences and intimate attachments.  Without rapport so close that consciousness itself seems to be sharedNFs, after all, cannot not be personal, and the health of their relationships is beyond everything else the measure of their self-worth–enhanced when their relationships are deeply connected and vital, and diminished when they are distanced or troubled.Quote2.png  — Please Understand Me II p. 137

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Strategic Bloodthirst

The brutal yet delightful showdown between Marvel and DC rages on as Warner Bros. execs are scrambling to make some moves seeing as they have to sit back and watch The Avengers become a worldwide box office juggernaut (1.4$ billion) while it boasts a formidable critical reception(93%).  Warner Bros. president and CEO Jeff Robinov and company have their work cut our for them as sources say they are currently spit-balling ferociously to figure out how to put a successful and high-caliber Justice League of America franchise together.  A major factor in accomplishing such a feat involves wooing and recruiting  big boss-man randy savage Christopher Nolan to spearhead what would essentially be a “JLA initiative”re-invigorating Warner Bros’ stake in Hollywood.

High ups in the Warner Brother roster even openly admitted that Marvel/Disney is doing a much better job than they are:

Quote1.pngSources indicate that the execs now realize they need to hire creatives that genuinely understand the characters the way Joss Whedon was comfortable with The AvengersQuote2.png

If these people just knew what was up with the Four Basic Personality Types, maybe they’d have a viable Super-quad right now.

DC/ Warner Bros. however is still in the fight as it has yet to unleash the epic dope sauce-ee-ness that will be The Dark Knight Rises.  Other than that though, they indeed better start making some moves, as Marvel/Disney continues to put itself in a position to dominate Hollywood’s lucrative box-office.

Speaking of Hollywood dominance for those of you silly gooses who aren’t well-versed, the The Avengers Easter Egg post-credits scene revealed that the next major villain for Earth’s Mightiest hero’s will be none other than the Mad Titan himself, Thanos the Overmaster.  A Bloodthirsty Intergalactic General on a mission to rid the universe of existence, if Thanos is conceived and casted correctly; he could serve as Marvel’s ultimate supervillain.

Who is Marvel’s God of War you ask? A character based off of the Greek God of Death?  Let’s take a look.

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Tactician’s Cataclysm

The final trailer has dropped for The Dark Knight Rises and I literally just got goosebumps.  Ya.  I’m a nerd.  Christian Bale will be reprising his role as the caped crusader while bloody brit actor Tom Hardy will be playing primary villain Bane.  Other newcomers include: Anne Hathaway as a mysterious Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman, while Joseph Gordon Levitt plays John Blake or a possible Robin, and finally the beautiful Marion Cotillard plays Miranda Tate or a potential Talia Al Ghul.  Big Boss Man Christopher Nolan has indeed done a good job keeping most of this stuff underwraps, as the film is his swan song to the Batman franchise.  The film’s reportedly epic ending is on the utmost of DL, to the point that only Nolan and four other people know what it is.  Why does this movie look so frikkin cool you ask?  Because it’s about a good ol’ fashioned Artisan dogfight.

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Tacticians’ Skirmish

With the summer creeping up and nerd-tastic San Diego Comic-Con approaching rapidly I think it’s high time we talked about the most anticipated film of 2012: The Dark Knight Rises.  Christopher Nolan screened a four hour rough cut of the film recently for Warner Bros. meaning that the film does actually exist and it’s not all a big hoaxThe Dark Knight Rises itself will be dropping a week after San Diego’s most coveted nerd festival ends (July 20) so people are speculating that the man himself Christopher Nolan will be making a personal appearanceGotham enthusiasts speculate that a fresh new trailer should hit soon so stay posted.  What exactly is The Dark Knight Rises all about you ask?  Well basically, two Artisans going at it.  Or more specifically, two Tactical Operators.  Let’s take a look shall we.

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Tacticians' Skirmish

With the summer creeping up and nerd-tastic San Diego Comic-Con approaching rapidly I think it’s high time we talked about the most anticipated film of 2012: The Dark Knight Rises.  Christopher Nolan screened a four hour rough cut of the film recently for Warner Bros. meaning that the film does actually exist and it’s not all a big hoaxThe Dark Knight Rises itself will be dropping a week after San Diego’s most coveted nerd festival ends (July 20) so people are speculating that the man himself Christopher Nolan will be making a personal appearanceGotham enthusiasts speculate that a fresh new trailer should hit soon so stay posted.  What exactly is The Dark Knight Rises all about you ask?  Well basically, two Artisans going at it.  Or more specifically, two Tactical Operators.  Let’s take a look shall we.

Continue reading Tacticians' Skirmish

The Bat Squad

The Dark Knight Rises released it’s first full trailer Monday and HOT DAMN.  For those of you who do not know, Christopher Nolan‘s concluding film to his blockbuster Batman trilogy takes place 8 years after the previous one and will feature antagonists Bane and Catwoman.  Warner Bros. also released a 7 minute prologue to The Dark Knight Rises attached to the IMAX release of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol which was an introduction to new villain Bane.  Warner Bros studios has since received a lot of criticism for one particular issue that kept coming up: no one can hear what the primary antagonist Bane was saying.  Bane dons a grim-looking mask strictly of course for fashionable purposes but does so however at the cost of having a muffled and hard-to-understand voice.  The legend himself Christopher Nolan has reportedly commented that the studio is fully aware of the issue but will not make significant changes to the sound.  Apparently Nolan wants his audiences to have to listen up and ‘participate’ rather than just be dumb stupid idiots.  What Nolan evidently is not aware of is the fact that 99% of people are in fact dumb stupid idiots.  Despite Nolan’s slight misconception let’s take a look at The Caped Crusader himself and his well-rounded supporting cast.

Bruce Thomas Wayne is an arrogant billionaire industrialist and notorious playboy by day, and a ruthless masked vigilante by night.  Characterized by his physical prowess and technical ingenuityBatman ‘strikes terror into the hearts of criminals everywhere’.  Indeed Batman has a thick skin and is a hard-nosed utilitarian, doing whatever it takes to get the job doneBolddaring, impulsive and adaptable with a strict adherence to utility The Caped Crusader is undoubtedly an Artisan.

Alfred Pennyworth is Batman’s trusty, faithful, and tireless butler, confidant, and surrogate father figure.  Alfred has served the Wayne family and maintained Wayne Manor for all of Bruce’s life, and essentially raised him.  Serving as a beacon of strength and stability, Alfred helps Bruce Wayne keep his tumultuous two-sided life on an even keel.  Highly dependable, extremely stable, serving as a provider and a pillar of strength Alfred Pennyworth is a classic Guardian.

Lucius Fox is Bruce Wayne’s financier, gadget man, and the President and CEO of the international corporate giant that is Wayne Enterprises.  Fox is extremely intelligent and business savvy, and turned Wayne Enterprises from a failing venture into a successful multinational conglomerate.  Fox is very knowledgable in the realm of technology, and heads a lot of Wayne Enterprises‘ engineering projects like the creation of the Batwing.  Highly pragmatic, astutely skeptical, technologically intelligent, serving as a voice of reason Lucius Fox is a prime example of a Rational.

Finally Commissioner James Gordon is Batman’s trusted allyconnection to Gotham City’s Police Force, and a dear friend.  Commissioner Gordon and Batman share a deep and unrelenting desire to rid Gotham City of evil no matter what the cost.  A man of integrity and honor, Gordon quickly realized that Batman was one of the only men in Gotham City that he could trust.  In a city riddled with crime and corruption, Gordon is a beacon of light and hope, and has made many sacrifices in the name of making Gotham City a better place.  Highly altruistic, tacitly optimistic, and undeniably spirited serving as a bright light in a very dark city Commissioner Gordon is a true Idealist.

Together they make a very well-rounded Bat-Squad.

Quote1.png Everything’s impossible until somebody does it. Quote2.png

— Bruce Wayne

Quote1.png We soldier on undaunted, you and I, Master Bruce. And if I may say so, sir… I couldn’t beg, borrow or steal a finer way to live my life. Quote2.png

— Alfred Pennyworth

Quote1.png Let me get this straight. You think that your client, one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the world, is secretly a vigilante who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp with his bare hands; and your plan, is to *blackmail* this person?  …..Good luck.   Quote2.png

 Lucius Fox

Quote1.png No — Gotham doesn’t die — not on MY watch! Quote2.png

— James Gordon

Brutal Tacticians

The Dark Knight Rises wrapped principal photography in New York last week and in a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Christopher Nolan discussed his final Batman film.  Nolan revealed that the films’ events will be taking place 8 years after the events of the previous film, during a time when Bruce Wayne is “not in a great state”.  He also talked about choosing Bane as the primary villain, saying that the goal was to test Batman both physically AND mentally.  Since Bruce went and got everyone excited by going to ninja school in Batman Begins, some critics were largely disappointed with the lack of martial arts in The Dark Knight, which evidently will not be a problem in this film:

“He [Bane] is brutal. Brutal. He’s a big dude who’s incredibly clinical, in the fact that he has a result-based and oriented fighting style. It’s not about fighting. It’s about carnage. The style is heavy-handed, heavy-footed, it’s nasty. Anything from small-joint manipulation to crushing skulls, crushing rib cages, stamping on shins and knees and necks and collarbones and snapping heads off and tearing his fists through chests, ripping out spinal columns. He is a terrorist in mentality as well as brutal action.” — Christopher Nolan

Well that sounds pretty dope Mr. Nolan.  Thankyou for that.  I think we’re all glad to see that this Batman franchise is finally headed in the right direction.  The direction of ripping out peoples’ spinal cords.  Regardless of whether that ends up in the movie or not lets take a look at Batman and his new nemesis Bane.

Bruce Thomas Wayne had the unfortunate luck of witnessing his parents murder when he was a child, an event that birthed his life goal of ridding Gotham City of evil.  Bruce has since evolved into an arrogant billionaire industrialist and notorious playboy by day, and a ruthless masked vigilante by night.  Characterized by his physical prowess and technical ingenuityBatman ‘strikes terror into the hearts of criminals everywhere’.  Indeed Bruce Wayne is a martial arts ‘prodigy’ and excels specifically in japanese jujitsuninjitsuKeysi, and Aikido.  Bold, daring, and audacious with a strict adherence to utility The Caped Crusader is undoubtedly a Promoter Artisan.  Indeed Batman has a thick skin and is a hard-nosed utilitarian, doing whatever it takes to get the job done.  The Dark Knight however knows all too well as most Promoters do, that “he who travels fast, travels alone”.  Until Bane shows up.

Bane spent his childhood and early adult-life in prison, serving a sentence for his fathers crimes.  Bane’s ‘natural abilities’ allowed him to develop ‘extraordinary skills’ within the prison walls including a plethora of brutal martial arts.  Bane has since evolved into a ‘super intelligent world-class fighter’ and a ‘tactical genius’.  Bane is most known for causing a prison break to overwhelm Batman, and then breaking his back while he is weak and tired.  Impulsivefearless, and ridden with brute strengthBane is undoubtedly a Crafter Artisan.  Certainly, Bane like all Crafters communicates primarily through his actions.  Bringing his prison mentality to Gotham City, Bane decided to go after the man that everyone fearedBatman.  Indeed a physical specimen, actor Tom Hardy packed on 30 pounds of muscle to play the role.  Like his fellow Crafters, Bane is ‘fascinated by weapons of all kinds’ and wields them with ‘lethal virtuosity’, taking ‘pride’ in his ‘prowess’.  In other words if I saw this dude on the street, I probably wouldn’t talk sh*t.

Warner Bros. recently announced that fresh new trailers for both The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Dark Knight Rises will be attached to their big holiday release Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows opening December 16th.

Quote1.png Everything’s impossible until somebody does it. Quote2.png

Bruce Wayne (New Earth)

Feline Diplomacy

The Dark Knight Rises is now in it’s final filming stages as it takes its talents to Manhattan, New York.  Naturally, more eyewitness videos and photos have popped up online, this time showing a chase sequence with motorcycles, GCPD patrol cars, the Batwing, and Bane’s ‘earthquake device’.  Though we know where Bane and Batman stand (on opposing sides) many wonder what role new character Catwoman will ultimately play in the film.  While Anne Hathaway has received criticism for the above picture, she assures us that ‘we’ve only seen a tenth of what the suit can do’.  Let’s then ignore the slight goofy-lookingness of the above picture and proceed with analyzing the Feline Femme Fatalle.

A young orphan who grew tired of being abused, Selina Kyle opted to take her chances surviving on the streets of Gotham.  Kyle became a talented thief, gymnast, and martial artist, but practiced her own unique brand of justice, and always gave back to the slum that raised her.  Fiercely independent, unabashedly shy, highly intuitive, and infamously ambiguous Catwoman is undoubtedly a Healer Idealist.  Indeed Selina Kyle’s status as a hero or villain is up in the air, as she possesses her own unique moral code.  Kyle often has romantic encounters with Batman and is always pursuing her own identity in Gotham City.  While Selina often fights against Batman, she also has a tendency to display deep affections towards him in times of need.  In true Idealist fashion, Selina Kyle eventually gives birth to a daughter, and quits her vigilantism for good.  An event, however, we will not likely get to witness in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster conclusion.  The Dark Knight Rises is now starting to wrap up shooting and can be seen in all it’s glory July 20, 2012.

Quote1.png My world is all just shades of grey, Batman. That’s why you’ll never really understand me. Quote2.png

Selina Kyle (New Earth)

Thunderous Diplomacy

The Avengers Trailer (released last week) was downloaded over 10 million times in a 24 hour period, smashing previous records for trailers.apple.com.  The Marvel Team followed up such exciting fan-fare with a strong presence at New York Comic Con, where they discussed filming and shot some never-before-seen footage.  If you’re a closet nerd like I am, or just a straight-up nerd, you can watch the full NYCC Avengers panel here.
Tom Hiddleston somewhat dominates the panel as people seem to really love his portrayal of supervillain Loki.  The panel ends with Kevin Fiege (Marvel’s President) talking about Marvel moving into what he refers to as ‘phase two‘.
While a DC/Warner Bros. Justice League of America film is a looming threat for Marvel, The Dark Knight rises is an immediate one, as many predict that it will beat out the Avengers at the summer box office.  Many argue that Chris Nolan’s ‘rooted-in-reality‘ darker, more gritty tone is much more accessible to audiences than the sci-fi otherworldly aspects of the Avengers.
If this be true, Marvel’s woes with DC/Warner Bros. would seemingly be over after The Dark Knight Rises seeing as Batman is the only ‘superhero’ without any actual superpowers.  Indeed it would be difficult to make a gritty, ‘rooted-in-reality’ film about Superman.  DC/Warner Bros. however, is trying.
Christopher Nolan is undoubtedly the biggest power player that DC/Warner Bros. has access to, and although he’s done with Batman after TDKR, he is artistically and financially attached to other DC/Warner Bros. projects, including Man of Steel.  It seems obvious that if DC/Warner Bros. wants to actually beat out Marvel in Hollywood it is absolutely paramount that they stick to the realistic tone that has been wildly successful for Christopher Nolan and The Dark Knight franchise.
That being said, let’s take a look at Marvel’s most otherworldly superhero, the Asgardian God of Thunder: Thor.
Thor Odinson is the Crown Prince of the mystical realm of Asgard.  Our dear friend Thor is based off of the Norse God of Thunder, and acts accordingly.  A brave and mighty warrior Thor won many battles as a child, growing headstrong and proud.  In his arrogance, Thor put his realm and people on the brink of war after breaking a truce with Asgard’s enemies the Frost Giants.  Teaching his son a lesson in humility, Thor’s father Odin banished him to earth, and stripped him of his powers.  Thor came back humble, gentle, empathetic, and sympathetic to his fellow man.  Altruistic, enthusiastic, inspirational, and yet fiercely independent, Thor is undoubtedly a Champion Idealist.  Indeed Thor’s high-spirited attitude and warm enthusiasm for defending his realm is often mistaken for arrogance, a typical problem with most Champions.  In true Idealist fashion, Thor was only able to wield his hammer Mjolnir ‘the day that great deeds of selfless valor had proved him worthy of it’.  Indeed only those ‘pure of heart‘ are able to wield Thor’s mystical hammer.  A hopeless romantic, Thor fell deeply in love with the Goddess Sif before the age of 20.  Certainly Thor has several deep love interests over his Godly life span (including that of Jane Foster seen in the film) Sif however being his main squeeze.  Thor has undoubtedly proven himself as self-sacrificing over the years, most notably in the subject of his mischievous kid-brother Loki.  Indeed Loki has made countless attempts at Thor’s life, but Thor however always spares Loki, hoping (to no avail) that Loki has learned his lesson.  Indeed Thor has tireless faith in his fellow man, and time and time again Thor is sacrificing himself to save innocent people from Loki or any other dangers for that matter, as he will no doubt do in The Avengers.
Quote1.png Even the life of a Thunder God can offer no greater satisfaction than this! For I have helped a fellow man! Quote2.png

Thor Odinson (Earth-616)
Quote1.png We are gods, ’tis our purpose to set aright the path of lesser beings. Quote2.png

Thor Odinson (Earth-616)
Spoilerish: Marvel head honcho Kevin Fiege discussed Loki’s purported ‘alien army‘ saying that “it’ll be extremely extremely large and something that links not only into the movies we’ve made but the movies we’re going to make.  So it’s a big play that we’re not quite ready to talk about.”
This hint/suggestion of course goes hand-in-hand with theories that Loki’s army will indeed be the Skrull army from the comics.  If you don’t know what that is, then you’re probably normal.  Anyway this goes hand-in-hand with the ‘otherworldiness‘ described above.
The question is will such ‘alien army’, otherwordly concepts ultimately win over audiences or disconnect them?  Which would you rather see, a team of superheroes battling alien armies?  Or a vigilante billionaire fight a bad-ass prison-escapee on drugs?  Stay tuned as the Marvel/Disney vs. DC/Warner Bros. battle for Hollywood dominance rages on.